What Stands Between
by Nautical Acronym
Summary: A moment away from an insensitive partner can make ones heart go astray.


AN: This is my first "Family Guy" piece. Writing about a show like this is difficult because there are bits of comedy that would only be funny if you saw them on T.V. rather than read them in text. I think that an exceptionally talented writer could pull it off, but I'm not one of those. Writing is just a hobby for me.

I really enjoy the idea of Lois and Brian together. It just tickles my fancy I guess. I realize that Brian is a dog, but I don't think that really matters in this show. Brian shows an obvious affection for Lois and I would like to see how it develops.

It has been a long while since I wrote or posted anything on nonetheless I look forward to your reviews and critique!

Have a good one!

The Disappointment on Her Face

The lights shining from the Griffin home cast blue hues against the soft snow below their living room window. Inside, the smell of Christmas dinner was wafting through the home and adding to the cozy atmosphere in which Brian found himself.

For him the day had been short; his sleep pattern was out of joint and his having breakfast at 12:00pm was making his head sore.

"Peter, Brian, Kids! Dinner's ready!" Lois's voice called from the kitchen.

He pushed himself from the couch, Martini in hand, and proceeded to the dinner table where the rest of the family had already gathered.

"Oh, Lois, guess what! I've been studying to become a Wrestler!" Peter excitedly told her as he pranced on his tiptoes around the kitchen. He was so much like a child that Brian could hardly understand how Lois had come to marry him.

"That's nice Peter, now sit down before you get too excited and hurt yourself." Lois patted Peter on the back. Her words were so full of care and love. For an instant Brian wondered what it was like to have a woman like Louis look at him as she looked at her husband, but the thought was so arbitrary and fleeting that the second it came to him it left.

Brian took his regular seat at the table and waited for the family to begin.

"No, Louis, this is great! You have no idea! And guess what! Guess! Guess! Guess!" Peter brought his hands together in childlike excitement.

"Careful, Peter, don't wet yourself." Brian said taking a sip of his Martini.

"Hey! That's it, chair time." Peter than nonchalantly picked up one of the chairs next to him and swung it haphazardly at him. Brian leaped from his seat in panic spilling his martini on the floor.

"Peter! Put that chair down!" Lois yelled.

"Yeah, Go Dad!"

"Chris, don't encourage your father!"

Peter took another swing and instead of hitting Brian it slammed Meg in the back of the head causing her skull to crash against her plate. The plate broke in two and Chris laughed, cheering on his dad.

"Oh, Sorry Meg, I was aiming for Brian."

"Peter!" Lois screamed.

"Oh, Louis, there's this other great move too!" In a blink of an eye Peter was on the kitchen counter.

"Peter, please, just come down and we'll have a normal Christmas dinner, okay?"

Brian could hear the pleading in her voice that Peter was always oblivious to. She pleaded far too often to Peter.

"No, Lois, Check this out!" Peter jumped from the kitchen counter, once again aiming for Brian and, once again, missing him completely. Peters' body slammed on top of the dinner table, sending food of all sorts across the room. The table itself split in two and Peter lay on top of the turkey, squished and sullied.

Lois received a face full of stuffing, while Meg now lay on the floor covered in mashed potatoes. Bits of everything covered Chris and Brian. Stewie remained in his high Chair, taking extreme pleasure from the spectacle before him.

"While I say, Lois, looks like fatty ruined another Christmas dinner."

"Ah, sorry Lois, hey look, there's always those microwavable dinner things right? Oh MAN I love those things!" and with that Peter got up and walked out of the kitchen with Chris following.

Meg had gotten up and looked from her mother, Brian and Stewie to the mess that was their dinner.

"Hey, mom, I'm just gonna go play with Stewie so I don't have to clean up, kay? Bye!"

"Wh-Wh-What?" Lois stammered out as Meg left the room with Stewie in hand.

There was an awkward silence between Brian and Lois as they looked from each other to the mess on the floor.

"Hey, Lois, I-I'm really sorry." Brian guiltily said trying hard not to look at the disappointment on Lois's face.

"Oh, Brian. It's not your fault. I just, just…"

Brian looked to her now and saw the fresh tears forming in her eyes. She fell to her knees as she began picking up the broken dishes.

"Oh, Lois… Lois, listen, I really didn't mean for this to happen." She looked up to him, her eyes red and nose running. She attempted one of those "It's okay" Smiles and turned back to the mess.

"Brian, it's not your fault. Besides, now I guess we don't have to put up with those weeks of leftovers." She gave such a sad chuckle that Brian stooped down and took hold of the dishes in her hand.

"Oh no, Brian, its okay."

"Here." Was all he said as he took the plates from her hand and set them on the floor, out of the way.

He took her hand in his. Neither of them knew what to say, but when their eyes held the others gaze there was a sort of suspension which occurred Time stood still and the noise from the other rooms dissipated into nothingness. Brian could have sworn that even the snow outside hung in mid air, silently allowing them to enjoy and cherish this small period in time. Their breath was held and the tears on Lois's cheeks and in her eyes, sparkled.

Brian felt his body slowly move forward not knowing where this sudden inclination was spouting from. He closed his eyes and let this wave come over him.

His free hand came around and gripped Lois's hair, gently guiding her head forwards as well.

Her hair was so soft, so soft. And in his minds eye he could see her lips, soft as well, ready to press against his own.

The contact of their real lips was gentle and timid. A tingle ran down his spine and an incredible ecstasy took hold of him. This was probably the first time in a few days that his headache disappeared, but like the fleeting thought from earlier, just as the moment had come it had gone and their lips parted as their breath returned to a normal rate.

Neither of them knew what to say.

"Lois, I'm-I-um"

"Lois!" Peter excitedly called as he entered the kitchen again.

Brian dropped his hand quickly and returned to his feet putting some distance between himself and Lois who still looked awestruck from the moment before.

"Lois, I'm going out with the guys for a bit, I'm going to practice my wrestling moves with them!"

There was a silence pounding on everyone's eardrums.

"Oh, oh yeah, okay, but Peter, it's Christmas?"

"Yeah, but we were just having that microwavable crap anyways." Peter said."Hey, uh, Lois, you might want to get cleaned up, I mean, sheesh, you have stuffing all over you." And with that Peter left.

A brief pause punctuated Peter's departure before Brian got down on his hands and knees and began cleaning the awful mess. He didn't look up until another hand found his.

"Thank you, Brian." She whispered. Brian looked to her, mouth slightly agape with obvious guilt in his eyes for what he had done. He shut his mouth and tried to swallow.

"It's no problem, Lois, no problem."

And with that he returned to picking up the shards of broken china from the floor.


End file.
